Bangladesh: Intensification of protests, Pakistan advises its citizens to be careful

The Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka has instructed its citizens to stay away from protest areas as the death toll in the violence has risen to 39.

Protests have intensified in Bangladesh  over reforms to government recruitment laws, with protesters setting government buildings on fire in several parts of the country as the death toll rose to 39 on Friday.

Following the escalation of violent protests, Pakistan's High Commission in Bangladesh in a statement on Thursday asked Pakistanis not only to exercise caution in their movements, but advised them to stay away from areas where protests are taking place.

According to the French news agency AFP, the total number of deaths has reached 39. Private broadcaster Independent Television, on the other hand, reported that at least 104 police officers and 30 journalists were injured in violent clashes across the country over the course of a day in Bangladesh.

The network said 702 people were injured during clashes between police and student protesters on Thursday, and clashes took place in 26 of the country's 64 districts.

According to AFP, internet service was also severely curtailed in the country, which one monitor described as 'almost blackout'.

A statement from the Dhaka police said that protesters set fire to several government buildings across the country.

"Miscreants have already torched the offices of state broadcaster BTV and the National Disaster Management Agency and 'various' police and government buildings," said the statement, which came after the nationwide internet blackout on Thursday night. , vandalism and destructive activities.'.

Protesting students set fire to the country's state broadcaster on Thursday. 

Hundreds of protesters have clashed with the police demanding reforms to government recruitment laws. Police officers fired rubber bullets at the protesters.

In the capital Dhaka on Thursday, angry mobs chased retreating policemen to BTV's headquarters and then set fire to the network's reception building and dozens of vehicles parked outside.

The broadcaster said in a Facebook post that "many people" were trapped inside as the fire spread. However, a station official later told AFP that they had safely evacuated the trapped people from the building.

He informed that the fire is still burning and our broadcast has been stopped for now.

Prime Minister Hasina Wajid's government has ordered the indefinite closure of educational institutions and police have stepped up efforts to control the deteriorating law and order situation in the country.

The Prime Minister came on TV on Wednesday night to condemn the deaths of the protesters and vowed that those responsible would be punished regardless of their political affiliation.

But despite their appeals for peace, street violence has escalated as police have once again used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse protesters.

"Our first demand is that the prime minister apologize to us," 18-year-old Bedisha Ram Jhum, who was among the protesters, told AFP. Secondly, justice should be ensured for our slain brothers.'

At least 25 people were killed on Thursday, compared to seven earlier this week, according to hospital figures compiled by the AFP news agency.

Figures from the hospital show that at least two-thirds of these deaths were caused by police weapons.

An official at the Uttar Crescent Hospital in the capital, Dhaka, told AFP on condition of anonymity that seven people had died at his hospital, two of whom were hit by rubber bullets and five by bullets. take

He further informed that around 1000 people who were injured during the clashes with the police have been treated in the hospital.

Dedar Milken of online news agency Dhaka Times told AFP that one of its reporters, Mehdi Hasan, was killed while covering the clashes in Dhaka.

Mobile internet off

Authorities in Bangladesh have shut down mobile internet services  to quell protests .

According to Reuters news agency, police used tear gas to disperse stone-throwing students in the southern port city of Chittagong, while mobile service was suspended in most parts of the country.

Junior Information Technology Minister Zaneed Ahmed Palak told reporters that 'mobile internet has been temporarily suspended due to various rumors and volatile situation on social media.'

He added that the services will be restored after the situation returns to normal.

The protests are the first major challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government since the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won a fourth consecutive term in January elections.

Rising youth unemployment and nearly 32 million people out of a population of 17 crore are out of work or education, prompting angry student 'Freedom Mujahideen' to end the 30% reservation quota for families. Emphasizing on

Intermittent clashes have been reported at many places due to the blocking of major highways by the protesters, while eyewitnesses say that there have been clashes between police and protesters at several places in Dhaka.

Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, as well as the United Nations and the United States, have urged Bangladesh to protect peaceful protesters from violence.

According to AFP, the international human rights organization Amnesty International says that video evidence of this week's clashes shows that Bangladeshi security forces have used illegal force.